Tar Ponds Weblog

G. Fred Lee, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, F. ASCE, addressed the issues involved with the use of Solidification/Stabilization in the remediation plan proposed by the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Panel hearings, held in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 2006. Dr. Lee has extensive experience with solidification/stabilization and leaching of aquatic sediments, wastes and many other related issues, including impacts of pollutants on public health and the environment. For more details about Dr. Lee and the many reports he has written on these issues, go to his website at http://www.gfredlee.com.

Some excerpts from Dr. Lee’s 2006 presentation in Sydney:

* STPA’s Proposed Approach for “Remediation” of Sediments (S/S  Treatment, Capping, & Water Management through Barrier Walls & Interceptor Trenches) Has Significant Long-term Technical Problems

* Can Readily Lead to Failure to Prevent Significant Further Pollution of Estuary

* Tar Ponds’ Sediments Have High Organic Content

* S/S Treatment of Inorganic Wastes Containing Heavy Metals Widely Used; May Be Effective in Situations Where S/S-Treated Wastes Are Kept Dry

* Significant Questions about Potential Effectiveness of S/S Treatment for Immobilizing Organic Contaminants in High-Organic-Waste Solids

Dr. Lee has written a number of papers and reports on issues relating to the Tar Ponds which include:

Lee, G. F., “Assessment of the Adequacy & Reliability of the STPA Proposed Approach for Remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds’ Sediments,” Presentation to the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Remediation Project Joint Review Panel, Sydney, Nova Scotia, CANADA, PowerPoint Slides; G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, May 15 (2006). www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/SydneyTarPondsPowerPt.pdf

Lee, G. F., “Comments on, ‘Remediation of Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Environmental Impact Statement, Sydney, Nova Scotia,’ dated December 2005,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, USA, May 15 (2006).  www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/SydneyTarPondsReport.pdf

Lee, G. F. and Jones-Lee, A., “Progress toward Remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds: A Major Canadian PCB/PAH ‘Superfund’ Site,” Journal Remediation 17(1):111-119 (2006).    www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/STP-Remediation-pap.pdf

Lee, G. F., “Comments on Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report – Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Remediation Project,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, July (2006).   www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/STPAESComments.pdf

Lee, G. F., “Unreliable/Inadequate Information on the Efficacy of Solidification/Stabilization of Sydney Tar Pond Sediments,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, February (2007).   www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/SydneyTPSedSolidif.pdf

Lee, G. F., and Jones-Lee, A., “Association between Hazardous Chemical Sites and Illness,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, January (2007).   www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/HazChemSites-Illness.pdf

Lee, G. F., “Comments on Psychological Impact of Offensive Odors,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, July (2007).    www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/OdorImpacts.pdf

Lee, G. F., and Jones-Lee, A., “Flawed Technology of Subtitle D Landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste,” Report of G. Fred Lee & Associates, El Macero, CA, December (2004). Updated September (2009). www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/SubtitleDFlawedTechnPap.pdf

The “Flawed Technology” review cited above contains a summary of information on impacts of odours on health (see page 39). While the context of that discussion is landfills and other hazardous chemical sites, the information is equally applicable to the Sydney Tar Ponds remediation situation.

Announcement of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Election

of Dr. G. Fred Lee as ASCE Fellow

In December 2009 Dr. G. Fred Lee was elected as an ASCE Fellow.  This election recognizes Dr. Lee five decade career as a national/international leader university graduate level educator and environmental consultant.  The ASCE announcement of this election is presented below.

G. FRED LEE, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, F.ASCE, earned his Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina in 1957 and his PhD degree in environmental engineering from Harvard University in 1960.  For 30 years he served on the graduate civil and environmental engineering/science faculty of several major US universities where he taught, conducted research, mentored the Masters and PhD work of 90 students, published extensively in professional journals, and actively undertook public service for the regulatory, professional, and lay communities.

In 1989 Dr. Lee retired from his academic career to focus on private consulting and public service; he is president of G. Fred Lee & Associates.  Areas of emphasis include domestic water supply water quality focusing on how land use in a water supply watershed impacts water supply water quality; investigation and management of surface and groundwater quality, stormwater runoff, contaminated sediments, land surface activities that impact groundwater quality, and use of reclaimed wastewater; and investigation and management of impacts of solid and hazardous chemicals including MSW and hazardous waste landfills, Superfund, and other hazardous chemical sites.

Dr. Lee has served on the editorial boards for several professional publications, and currently serves on the editorial board for the Journals Stormwater and Remediation.  Dr. Lee has long served on the American Academy of Environmental Engineers’ (AAEE) examination board for AAEE professional engineer certification; he currently serves as Chief Examiner for Northern California in Water Supply and Wastewater.

Dr. Lee has published more than 1100 professional papers and reports many of which are posted on his website [www.gfredlee.com].  In addition, out of the need for greater influence of science and engineering in water quality regulation and management, he created and authors an email-based Stormwater Runoff Water Quality Newsletter which he has distributed about monthly for the past 12 years, at no-cost, to about 10,400 subscribers.